2/14

It's the first time I've been single on Valentine's Day in a long time. Hm.

I hope you had a good one.

I had a good time in Aural Skills, and we analyzed Bartok's Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste in Composition, specifically the First Movement.



The piece starts with a chromatic melody, on an A, and has obvious peaks at an Eb (a tritone), then E (a fifth up), and Bb (a tritone from E). This would almost signify a tonality shift, if one could recognize one in the chromatic melody, but it becomes more clear when the next part plays the same melody up a perfect 5th, starting on concert E. The next part starts on a D, a perfect 5th below the starting A. Each new part comes in alternating between a perfect 5th above or below the previous entrance, which makes for some interesting dissonances. When all of the parts in, by measure 56, the tonal center has made its way all the way to Eb, the opposite of A. You should read this, the music is on it somewhere:

http://www.courses.unt.edu/jklein/files/80-90_STRUCTURE-FORM-PROCESS_S08_0.pdf

It blew my mind. I hope you enjoyed it.

Then I went to Singers and we sang with the sound system today, which was fun.

I hadn't worked on my music very much for Percussion Ensemble, so that was a little rough today.

Then I got a lunch break, then went to a lesson with Ryan. I like him. He's very positive and always knows what to fix, but he's not a softie and I'm sure if I ever don't do something he'll crack the whip. Thanks, Ryan.

Anyways, I'm doing Rotation II, by Eric Sammut, for one of my solos this year, I think. It should be fun.



Then I went to African and played for a while, and came home and read my book and ate some crackers. I went to another African rehearsal, this time at the the dance class for all of the people that are trying to make it as dancers. He asked a couple of us to come play with the group tonight, and it was pretty fun.

This is my first real break, aside from my little one in between African Ensembles, but I still have to write a melody and study for a test I have tomorrow.

I'm pretty busy, and I'll be honest, I love it. I don't understand how people take 13 or 14 credits... I wouldn't be able to sleep at night, some nights I can't anyways. If I sit around too much doing nothing, I get antsy and start feeling guilty. And it's not like I'm busy with math homework or doing a lame job. I'm at one of the best music schools in the world, doing everything I want to do (almost), and loving the crap out of it.

It's like every day here is a little present.

Happy Valentine's Day, self.

M